From Ann Donnarumma, Founder of Founder's Formula
"My skin just reacts to everything." I hear a version of this almost every week, usually said with a note of frustration, sometimes with a little embarrassment, as if reactive skin were a personal failing rather than a physiological reality. It isn't. Sensitive skin is genuinely one of the most common concerns I come across, and in over two decades in this industry, I have come to believe it is also one of the most over-treated. So much of what we are taught to reach for when skin feels reactive- stronger cleansers, more actives, a new "fix it" serum- is exactly what keeps the cycle going.
I wanted to write about this properly, not as a list of products to buy, but as an honest look at what sensitive skin actually is, why so many of us have it, and what genuinely helps versus what quietly makes things worse.
What we mean by "sensitive skin"
Sensitive skin isn't a single diagnosis; it's a description of how skin behaves. It refers to skin that reacts more readily than it should to things most people tolerate without a second thought: a new moisturiser, a change in weather, a hot shower, even water itself in some cases. The reaction can show up as stinging, burning, tightness, redness, itching or a general feeling of discomfort, often without any visible rash at all. That last part surprises people. You can have genuinely sensitive skin with very little to see on the surface, which is part of why it is so often dismissed.
Underneath that reactivity sits a fairly consistent story: a compromised skin barrier. Your skin's outermost layer is built to keep moisture in and irritants out, largely thanks to a mix of natural lipids, ceramides and fatty acids that sit between skin cells like mortar between bricks. When that structure is intact, your skin quietly does its job. When it's disrupted, water escapes more easily, irritants get in more easily, and nerve endings closer to the surface become more reactive to things that would normally go unnoticed.
Why some of us are more prone to it
There is rarely one single cause. Genetics play a real role; some people are simply born with a thinner, less resilient barrier or a nervous system in the skin that fires more readily. Fair skin and naturally dry skin types tend to be more susceptible, and sensitivity often runs in families alongside conditions like eczema, psoriasis or allergies.
But a great deal of sensitivity is acquired rather than inherited, and this is the part I really want people to sit with. Years of over-cleansing, over-exfoliating, and layering strong actives on top of each other can wear down a barrier that was never inherently sensitive to begin with. Hormonal shifts through puberty, pregnancy, perimenopause and menopause can also change how skin behaves, often quite suddenly. Chronic stress raises cortisol, which in turn increases inflammatory activity in the skin. And underlying conditions such as rosacea, eczema, dermatitis or an undiagnosed allergy can all present as generalised sensitivity before they are properly identified.
What tends to make it worse
This is where I think most of the damage happens, often with good intentions. Harsh, foaming cleansers strip the very lipids your barrier needs, leaving skin tight and reactive rather than clean. Over-exfoliation, whether through physical scrubs or one too many acid-based products used together, is one of the single biggest causes of sensitised skin that I see. Hot water, whether in the shower or splashed on the face, disrupts the lipid barrier further than most people realise. Fragrance, both synthetic and some essential oils, is a leading trigger of reactions, even in products marketed as "natural." Alcohol-based toners, environmental factors like wind, extreme heat, cold and pollution, and simply layering too many products at once, especially several active ingredients in the same routine, all compound the problem. Even something as ordinary as air conditioning or heating, which most Australian homes and offices run for a large part of the year, quietly dehydrates the skin and thins the barrier over time.
The pattern I see again and again is a routine that started reasonably and grew, one "must-have" serum at a time, until the skin barrier simply couldn't keep up.
How I'd manage it
The single most useful thing you can do for sensitive skin is simplify. Not forever, but as a starting point, strip your routine back to the essentials: a gentle cleanser, a barrier-supportive treatment, a good moisturiser, and SPF. Give your skin two to four weeks on that simplified routine before reintroducing anything new, and when you do reintroduce a product, add one thing at a time so you can actually tell what your skin is responding to.
Favour formulas that are fragrance-free, low in potential irritants, and built around barrier-repairing ingredients like ceramides, hyaluronic acid, niacinamide and soothing plant extracts, rather than formulas built around exfoliating acids or high concentrations of active ingredients. Cool or lukewarm water is kinder to the barrier than hot. Pat the skin dry rather than rubbing it. And if you are using any actives at all, such as vitamin C or a retinol alternative, introduce them slowly and never all in the same routine.
It is also worth remembering that sensitivity can be a sign of something more specific, such as rosacea, eczema, contact dermatitis or an allergy. If your skin remains reactive despite a genuinely gentle routine, or if you notice a consistent pattern with certain products or foods, it is worth seeing a dermatologist for a proper assessment rather than continuing to guess.
The routine I'd build for reactive skin
I formulated every product in this collection with barrier support as the starting point, not an afterthought, because that is what I needed for my own skin long before it became a business.
- Cleanse gently with our Macadamia Omega-7 Cleansing Oil, which dissolves the day's build-up without foaming agents or stripping the skin's natural lipids.
- Tone and calm with our Centipeda and Manuka Honey B+ Refining Toner, formulated to soothe inflammation and support a healthier moisture balance immediately after cleansing.
- Treat with our CALM Tasmanian Mountain Pepper Berry Serum, a fragrance-free formula built specifically to reduce reactivity, calm irritation and strengthen a stressed barrier, whether your skin is reacting to a product, the weather, or simply a hard week.
- Moisturise with our Wild Rosella Hydrating Moisturiser to lock in long-lasting hydration and reinforce the barrier without weighing the skin down.
- Seal and protect, especially in dry or windy weather, with a few drops of our Australian Botanicals Nourishing Facial Oil over the top, and always finish mornings with SPF.
If your skin is in the middle of a flare, this is the moment to do less, not more. Skip anything with acids or fragrance, keep the routine to cleanse, calm, moisturise, and give it time.
A gentle final word
If your skin reacts easily, please know it isn't a flaw in your discipline or your routine choices; it's information. Your skin is telling you what it needs, and usually, what it needs is less, not more. Listen to it, simplify where you can, and bring in professional support if the reactivity persists. That is always the foundation I build from, and it's woven into every formula we make.
With warmth, Ann
This article is general information based on current understanding of sensitive skin and skin barrier science, and is not a substitute for individual medical advice. If your skin remains persistently reactive, please see a dermatologist for a proper assessment.